The Reception and Diffusion of Cognitive Psychotherapy in Mar del Plata (1986–2015)

Abstract

Within the field of the history of psychology, this article presents the results of a study aimed at examining the reception and diffusion of cognitive psychotherapy in the city of Mar del Plata between 1986 and 2015. The methodological design consisted of a retrospective ex-post facto exploratory–descriptive study based on documentary and testimonial sources, which made it possible to reconstruct a previously undocumented historical process. A three-dimensional analytical model was developed to examine three channels through which this clinical approach was introduced and disseminated: the academic, institutional, and clinical-care dimensions. The findings indicate that cognitive psychotherapy was initially received through the academic sphere in the context of the reopening of the Psychology program, particularly within a curricular reform that promoted a pluralistic professional profile. Subsequently, the approach expanded through the creation of private institutions devoted to training and clinical services. In the clinical-care domain, the results reveal an early and stronger presence of cognitive psychotherapy in the private sector, alongside a relatively limited presence in public health settings. This study contributes to the historiography of psychology by addressing an unexplored topic in the local context and by proposing a model for analyzing the reception and diffusion of theoretical approaches that may be transferable to other therapeutic models and geographical contexts.